Arid
DOI10.1017/S0266467411000125
Interactions between large herbivores and litter removal by termites across a rainfall gradient in a South African savanna
Buitenwerf, Robert1; Stevens, Nicola2; Gosling, Cleo M.1; Anderson, T. Michael3; Olff, Han1
通讯作者Buitenwerf, Robert
来源期刊JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY
ISSN0266-4674
出版年2011
卷号27页码:375-382
英文摘要

Litter-feeding termites influence key aspects of the structure and functioning of semi-arid ecosystems around the world by altering nutrient and material fluxes, affecting primary production, foodweb dynamics and modifying vegetation composition. Understanding these complex effects depends on quantifying spatial heterogeneity in termite foraging activities, yet such information is scarce for semi-arid savannas. Here, the amount of litter that was removed from 800 litterbags in eight plots (100 litterbags per plot) was measured in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park (HiP) South Africa. These data were used to quantify variation in litter removal at two spatial scales: the local scale (within 450-m(2) plots) and the landscape scale (among sites separated by 8-25 km). Subsequently, we attempted to understand the possible determinants of termites’ foraging patterns by testing various ecological correlates, such as plant biomass and bare ground at small scales and rainfall and fences that excluded large mammalian herbivores at larger scales. No strong predictors for heterogeneity in termite foraging intensity were found at the local scale. At the landscape scale termite consumption depended on an interaction between rainfall and the presence of large mammalian herbivores: litter removal by termites was greater in the presence of large herbivores at the drier sites but lower in the presence of large herbivores at the wetter sites. The effect of herbivores on termite foraging intensity may indicate a switch between termites and large herbivore facilitation and competition across a productivity gradient. In general, litter removal decreased with increasing mean annual rainfall, which is in contrast to current understanding of termite consumption across rainfall and productivity gradients. These results generate novel insights into termite ecology and interactions among consumers of vastly different body sizes across spatial scales.


英文关键词Africa decomposition heterogeneity Isoptera nitrogen nutrient cycling nutrient hotspot patchiness spatial scale termite mound
类型Article
语种英语
国家Netherlands ; Australia ; USA
收录类别SCI-E
WOS记录号WOS:000292316400005
WOS关键词ISOPTERA ; MACROTERMITINAE ; PATTERNS ; MOUNDS ; DESERT ; ECOSYSTEMS ; VEGETATION ; ECOLOGY ; HETEROGENEITY ; PRODUCTIVITY
WOS类目Ecology
WOS研究方向Environmental Sciences & Ecology
资源类型期刊论文
条目标识符http://119.78.100.177/qdio/handle/2XILL650/169488
作者单位1.Univ Groningen, CEES, Community & Conservat Ecol Grp, NL-9750 AA Haren, Netherlands;
2.CSIR, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia;
3.Wake Forest Univ, Dept Biol, Winston Salem, NC 27109 USA
推荐引用方式
GB/T 7714
Buitenwerf, Robert,Stevens, Nicola,Gosling, Cleo M.,et al. Interactions between large herbivores and litter removal by termites across a rainfall gradient in a South African savanna[J],2011,27:375-382.
APA Buitenwerf, Robert,Stevens, Nicola,Gosling, Cleo M.,Anderson, T. Michael,&Olff, Han.(2011).Interactions between large herbivores and litter removal by termites across a rainfall gradient in a South African savanna.JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY,27,375-382.
MLA Buitenwerf, Robert,et al."Interactions between large herbivores and litter removal by termites across a rainfall gradient in a South African savanna".JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY 27(2011):375-382.
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